RADCLIFFE, James (1875-1934) Ashton under Lyne 1893; Leyton 1898; East Ham 1899; 1CL Ilford 1908; 1CL Bethnal Green 1914-1934
Both his Chiefships began inauspiciously as ILFORD opened only its Seven Kings branch, and at BETHNAL GREEN, following the adoption of the Public Libraries Acts in 1913, his appointment coincided with the outbreak of World War I and the library there was not opened until 1922. But after that exceptional progress was made exceptionally quickly and, by 1930, aided by a brilliant staff, including George Vale, J G O'Leary, F Seymour Smith and Stanley Snaith, BETHNAL GREEN had become a 'pace maker' with one of the best book stocks in any British library of medium size.
Ashton under Lyne 1893; Leyton 1898; East Ham 1899; 1CL Ilford 1908; 1CL Bethnal Green 1914-1934
Both his Chiefships began inauspiciously as ILFORD opened only its Seven Kings branch, and at BETHNAL GREEN, following the adoption of the Public Libraries Acts in 1913, his appointment coincided with the outbreak of World War I and the library there was not opened until 1922. But after that exceptional progress was made exceptionally quickly and, by 1930, aided by a brilliant staff, including George Vale, J G O'Leary, F Seymour Smith and Stanley Snaith, BETHNAL GREEN had become a 'pace maker' with one of the best book stocks in any British library of medium size.